One problem with today's conventional technology is that, when manually loading wood into the infeed systems, the human operator needs to determine how to orient the wood, which increases the cost of labor when manufacturing structures using wood boards (lumber). As used herein, “crook” is a lumber feature or defect where the widest faces of the piece of lumber are substantially planar but there is a curvature along the length of the narrower faces of the piece of lumber. The “crown” is the convex one of the narrower faces of the piece of lumber with a crook. The crown should be orientated to optimize with the wood saw equipment. Certain wood trusses and pre-assembled walls are more secure if the crown of the wood is oriented correctly (both when the board is loaded into a sawing station, and when the cut board is assembled into a truss, a pre-assembled wall, or the like). Conventional automated or partially automated systems are unable to determine and/or distinguish the crown of the lumber.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,170,163 to Robert A. Bordignon et al. titled “METHOD OF ASSEMBLING COMPONENTS OF AN ASSEMBLY USING A LASER IMAGE SYSTEM,” issued Jan. 9, 2001, and is incorporated herein by reference. In U.S. Pat. No. 6,170,163 Bordignon et al. describe a method of assembling components of an assembly, such as the components of a truss, using a laser imaging system in combination with assembly jigs. The jigs may be slideably mounted on an assembly table wherein the jigs include laser alignment indicia on a top surface of the jigs spaced a predetermined distance from a side surface of the jigs. The method includes projecting an enlarged laser generated outline of at least a portion of the components to be assembled which is spaced laterally from an outline or template of the components in the assembled position a distance equal to the distance between the laser alignment indicia and the side surface of the jigs and spaced vertically a distance equal to the distance between the indicia and the work surface. The jigs are then moved on the work surface to align the laser alignment indicia with the enlarged outline and affixed relative to the work surface. Finally, the components are assembled on the work surface in generally abutting relation with the side surfaces of the jigs and assembled. Where the assembly method of this invention is used for assembling trusses, the laser generated outline may be used to orient the truss planks.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,463,368 to Morden et al. titled “LASER PROJECTION SYSTEM, INTELLIGENT DATA CORRECTION SYSTEM AND METHOD,” issued Dec. 9, 2008, and is incorporated herein by reference. In U.S. Pat. No. 7,463,368 Morden et al. describe a laser projection system, intelligent data correction system and method which corrects for differences between the as-built condition and the as-designed condition of a workpiece which includes determining the as-built condition of a workpiece with a digitizer scanner and modifying data of the as-built condition or the data of a laser projection based upon the data received from the digitizer scanner of the as-built condition. A preferred intelligent data correction system includes metrology receivers fixed relative to the digitizer scanner and the workpiece and a metrology transmitter to determine the precise location and orientation of the digitizer scanner relative to the workpiece.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,621,053 to Edward S. Bianchin titled “ASSEMBLY APPARATUS,” issued Nov. 24, 2009, and is incorporated herein by reference. In U.S. Pat. No. 7,621,053 Bianchin describes an assembly apparatus for assembling components including a work surface, a laser projector, a computer controlling the laser projector to protect a laser image on the work surface, and an ejector lifting a completed assembly from the work surface having a retro-reflective surface within a field of view of the laser projector when the ejector is lifted, such that the laser projector scans the retro-reflective surface and the computer determines at least one of the number of completed assemblies made and the time required to make the assembly.
United States Patent Publication 2010/0201702 of Franik et al. published Aug. 12, 2010 with the title “DIGITAL IMAGE PROJECTION LUMINAIRE SYSTEMS,” and is incorporated herein by reference. In Patent Publication 2010/0201702 Franik et al. describe improvements to digital imagine projection systems and for seamless blending of images projected from a plurality of digital image projectors to create combined images from multiple projectors where the user is provided with independent control of the blend area and of independent control of image parameters within said variable blend area such as brightness, contrast, individual color intensity and gamma correction.
U.S. Pat. No. 8,079,579 to Fredrickson et al. titled “Automatic truss jig setting system,” issued Dec. 20, 2011, and is incorporated herein by reference. In U.S. Pat. No. 8,079,579 Fredrickson et al. describe an automatic truss jig setting system that includes a table including a plurality of segments with a side edge of adjacent segments defining a slot. At least one pin assembly, and optionally a pair of pin assemblies, is movable independently of each other along the slot. Movement apparatus is provided for independently moving the pin assemblies along the slot. Each of the side edges of the segments associated with the slot defines a substantially vertical plane with a zone being defined between the substantially vertical planes of the side edges, and the movement apparatus is located substantially outside of the zone of the slot. The invention may optionally include a system for handling the obstruction of pin assembly movement, and a system for keeping track of the position of the pin assembly when the pin assembly has encountered an obstruction.
U.S. Pat. No. 8,782,878 to Morden et al., titled “FASTENER AUTOMATION SYSTEM,” issued Jul. 22, 2014, and is incorporated herein by reference. In U.S. Pat. No. 8,782,878, Morden et al. describe a fastener automation system for assembly of fasteners to a substrate, which includes a projection system for projecting an image on a substrate of a predetermined location of a correct fastener to be installed in the substrate and data relating to the correct fastener and the substrate, and a computer operably associated with the projection system storing data regarding the correct fastener and the predetermined location on the substrate where the correct fastener is to be installed. An automated method of installing a fastener in a substrate at a predetermined location includes using a projector system to identify a predetermined location for installation of a correct fastener to the substrate, collecting data regarding the correct fastener installation at the predetermined location and storing the data in a computer, and installing the correct fastener in the substrate at the predetermined location based upon the data.
United States Patent Publication 2008/0297740 of Huynh et al. published Dec. 4, 2008 with the title “Projection system and method of use thereof,” and is incorporated herein by reference. In Patent Publication 2008/0297740 Huynh et al. describe a projection system and method of use thereof, wherein a computer in electrical communication with at least one projector projects a layout, preferably onto a floor projection surface utilizing short throw lenses, wherein the layout preferably comprises a grid and indicia relating to an exhibitor.
U.S. Pat. No. 8,919,001 to Le Mer et al. titled “METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR HELPING TO POSITION A COMPONENT ON A STRUCTURAL ELEMENT,” issued Dec. 30, 2014, and is incorporated herein by reference. In U.S. Pat. No. 8,919,001 Le Mer et al. describe a method for helping to position a component on the wall of a structural element, including the steps: elaborating an image to be projected on the wall, from a virtual model of the structure and from the positioning of a projector with respect to the structure, and an additional motif providing positioning information of the piece with respect to the direction normal to the wall, projecting the image on the structural element by means of the projector; placing the base of the piece inside an outline of the image projected on the wall; and, while keeping contact between the piece and the structural element, modifying the positioning of the piece with respect to the direction normal to the wall, until the predefined set of points of the piece coincides with the motif.
U.S. Pat. No. 8,960,244 to Aylsworth et al. titled “AUTOMATED LUMBER RETRIEVAL AND DELIVERY,” issued Feb. 24, 2015, and is incorporated herein by reference. In U.S. Pat. No. 8,960,244 Aylsworth et al. describe an automated lumber handling system that laser-scans the top profile of multiple stacks of lumber, each of which contain boards of a unique size. Based on the scanned profiles, the system determines the order in which individual boards from a chosen stack should be transferred to a numerically controlled saw. The saw cuts the boards to proper size, and in the proper sequence to facilitate orderly assembly of a roof truss or prefabricated wall. In some examples, the system lifts individual boards by driving two retractable screws, or some other piercing tool, down into the upward facing surface of the board. A track mounted cantilever, holding the screws and a laser unit, translates over the lumber stacks to retrieve and deliver individual boards and, while doing so, the laser repeatedly scans the stacked lumber profiles on-the-fly to continuously update the profiles. The open cantilever design facilitates replenishing the stacks of lumber.
Chinese Patent Publication CN 202899636 U published Apr. 24, 2013 with the title “Discrete assembly device for large-span rectangular spatially warped tube truss,” and is incorporated herein by reference. This Chinese Patent Publication CN 202899636 describes a discrete assembly device for a large-span rectangular spatially warped tube truss. The device consists of a base, two supporting tubes fixedly connected to the two sides of the base, and tube brackets fixedly connected to the tops of the supporting tubes, wherein grooves of which the diameter is matched with that of a lower chord of an assembly section truss are formed on the tube brackets. The on-site assembly difficulty of the large-span rectangular spatially warped truss is reduced, assembly accuracy and speed are greatly improved, and construction materials are saved.
There is a need in the art for better pickers and grabbers for temporarily attaching a piece of lumber to a moving arm in automated systems and methods for lumber analysis, sorting, adjustment, and sawing for workpiece assembly, such as the assembly of wooden roof trusses, pre-assembled walls, and the like.